Saturday, August 24, 2013

Havanese

Havanese

History:

The Havanese is a member of
the Bichon family of dogs. The progenitors of the breed are believed to have
come from Tenerife. Ship manifests from Tenerife bound for Cuba list dogs as
passengers brought aboard, and these dogs were most probably the dog of
Tenerife. Some believe the entire Bichon family of dogs can be traced back to
the Tenerife dog, while others theorize that the origins are in Malta, citing
the writings of Aristotle, and other historical evidence of the early presence
of such dogs in Malta. Whatever the actual origins of Bichon dogs, these little
dogs soon became devoted companions to the Spanish colonists in Cuba and were
highly admired by the nobility.

As part of the Cuban
Revolution, upper-class Cubans fled to the United States, but few were able to
bring their dogs. When American breeders became interested in this rare and
charming dog in the 1970s, the US gene pool was only 11 dogs.

With dedicated breeding,
and the acquisition of some new dogs internationally, the Havanese has made a
huge comeback and is one of the fastest growing breeds of dogs in the American
Kennel Club (AKC)

Description:

If never primped, clipped
or altered in any way, the Havanese gives a rugged impression in a little dog.
The legs are strong and allow for free and easy movement. The dark eyes and
long tail are covered with long, silky hair. The profuse coat varies from wavy
to curly to corded. The corded coat is recognized by both the AKC (American
Kennel Club) and the CKC (Canadian Kennel Club). The Havanese is a
double-coated breed with soft hair, both on the outer coat and undercoat. The
adult coat reaches 6 to 8 inches, and has a pearly sheen. Some Havanese carry a
shorthaired recessive gene. If two adults with this recessive gene have a
litter of puppies, it is possible that some of the puppies will be born with
smooth coats. A Havanese with a short coat cannot be shown, as it is a serious
fault in the show arena. Some have nicknamed the Havanese born with short coats
Shavanese. Eye rims, nose and lips are solid black on all colors except the
true chocolate dog. The Havanese comes in any color, including cream, gold,
white, silver, blue and black. Also parti and tricolor. In North America, all
colors are recognized; no preference is given to one color over another. Black
and chocolate are preferred colors with many North American breeders. A
chocolate Havanese must retain at least a 1 inch (2.6 cm) patch of chocolate
hair. Chocolates also have green or amber eyes. In some European countries the
black and chocolate dogs were not always recognized, but the black dogs have
been recognized for several years, and the chocolate dogs are now recently
recognized. The gait is unique, lively and ”springy," which accentuates
the happy character of the Havanese. Tail is carried up over the back when
gaiting. The breed is of solid physical type and sound constitution. The
Havanese is sturdy, and while a small breed, it is neither fragile nor
overdone.

Temperament:

The Havanese is a very
playful dog that tends to be quite clever in getting attention. Havanese can
often be seen performing tricks in order to get the attention of new guests in
the home. In fact, because of their propensity to do tricks, this breed has
long been used in the circus. This is a great family dog, because they are
small enough to be easy to keep in the house, but they are not snappish or
yappy like many other toy breeds. They love children and make very good
playmates for them. Unlike other toy breeds, they can tolerate clumsy and
sometimes rough play of children. Havanese are intelligent and very playful.
They want to be near their owners and they want attention and playtime. This dog
is known to follow their owners around from room to room. They can be taught to
do tricks and are eager to please their owners. However, as much as they love
their owners, they are not possessive of them nor aggressive when their owners
express affection for people or other animals. In fact, Havanese do quite well
with other pets in the home and often make playmates of them. Havanese are not
prone to excessive barking, but they will bark to alert you to visitors and
will be wary of strangers until you have welcomed them. Once the dog observes
that you're comfortable with a visitor, however, he will be very friendly.
These dogs are not prone to shyness. And, despite their size, they do not show
any fear. Their combination of friendliness, eagerness to please and comfort
will all kinds of people and animals makes this one of the best dogs,
particularly for families with allergies or who need a small pet.

Height, Weight:

Height: 8 - 11 inches (20 - 28 cm)

Weight: 7 - 13 pounds (3 -
6 kg)

Living Conditions:

Havanese are good for
apartment life. They are very active indoors and will do okay without a yard.
Havanese are born to live in your home, and not in a patio or a kennel, but at
the same time, they require plenty of exercise.

Exercise / Training :

The Havanese has an
energetic nature that requires walking, a play session, or a swim. However,
they do not require an inordinate amount of exercise. They do well in
apartments and also homes with small yards. Since they are adept at learning
tricks, they benefit from this activity. The Havanese are moderately active
indoors but do need toys and social stimulation so as not to become bored and
irritable.

The Havanese is very
intelligent and eager to please. These two qualities make them quite easy to train.
They are eager to do tricks to entertain you, so once you've completed the
basics of training, they'll be eager to learn some fun tricks. They have an
exceptionally good sense of smell and will love to play games of
"find" where you hide an object and they hunt it down. Your Havanese
should be very easy to house train, as they will quickly understand your
displeasure when they use the bathroom indoors. Because of their size and
sensitivity to the cold, many owners choose to paper train their Havanese if
they live in a very cold climate. This allows them to avoid sending the dog
outside in cold weather and snow. Whichever method of house training you choose
will work well with a Havanese. Havanese are said to never eat alone. This is
because they want to always be in the same room with their owners. So, if your
Havanese is eating and you leave the room, you can expect him to follow you,
likely with food in his mouth, which he will drop on the floor and eat. This
can be a bit annoying, so many owners have a set feeding time for their
Havanese, and only have food available at this time. Then, they either confine
the dog to the room where the food is waiting, or stay in the room with the dog
while he eats. Whenever you're training a puppy, use a firm voice for commands
and admonishments is important, as your dog will respond to the firmness in
your voice. However, it is very important that you not be too harsh in speaking
to your Havanese, as it will only frighten him and make it difficult to
accomplish any training results.

Life Expectancy:

About 14-15 years

Grooming / Care:

The profuse coat needs to
be thoroughly combed at least twice per week. A Havanese with a dense or curly
coat will be more prone to tangling and matting, thus requiring more frequent
combing, than one with a silky, slightly wavy coat. If not showing the dog, it
can be trimmed shorter to require less brushing. Many pet owners clip their
dogs into a 1–2 inch long "puppy cut" for ease of maintenance.

If they go out in the snow,
ice clumps will stick between their paw pads; just rinse off in warm water or
buy booties. When you give them a bath, make sure to dry them. Some in shorter
clips can blot and air dry, but most will need to be blown dry. You should also
comb their hair out after bathing so as not to dry in mats. Use high air but
low heat to protect their sensitive skin. Hot air can damage the skin.

Hair that grows on the
bottom of their feet between the paw-pads needs trimming to allow traction on
smooth floors. Some develop tear staining. A veterinarian might suggest
treating red yeast issues to help diminish or eliminate staining; sometimes
diet allergens are to blame and switching to a food without common allergens
can be helpful. Excess tearing is sometimes a result of hair getting into the
eyes; it is recommended that hair below eyes be allowed to grow out instead of
shaved out. Havanese can wear a topknot or small braids to keep the hair out of
their eyes during everyday activities.

As with any dog with
dropped ears, the ears must be kept clean to help prevent ear infections. A
cottonball can be placed just inside each ear before bathing to prevent excess
water from entering in. After bathing, since it may be moist, pluck a few hairs
inside the dog's ears to let air circulate through, preventing fungus from
building.

The Havanese is not a yappy
dog, but will alert its owners to approaching people. Usually acknowledging
that you have heard their alert is enough to make them cease. Some have strong
attachment issues, known by their owners as "velcro dogs", following
household members everywhere, even into the bathroom.

Conclusion:

The Havanese is a small, sturdy,
short-legged dog. Its unique gait is exceptionally lively and springy,
accentuating the dog's happy nature. The coat is double, with both under and
outer coat soft. The profuse outer coat is very long, reaching 6 to 8 inches in
length, and ranges from straight to curly, with wavy preferred. The curly coat
is allowed to cord. The expression is gentle.

This is a busy, curious
dog; it is happiest when it is the center of attention. It loves to play and
clown and is affectionate with its family, children, strangers, other dogs and
pets — basically everyone! The Havanese is willing to please and learn easily,
but it tends to be vocal.